


Tell Me Where You Want Me For the Time (I Suppose)

by stolensunrise



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Swearing, Volleyball, and even smaller bits of jongxing ??, lots of innuendos, small bits of chanbaek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 20:39:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15871335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stolensunrise/pseuds/stolensunrise
Summary: Jongdae and Sehun are volleyball athletes from rival universities. When they both share a summer they won't ever forget, things start to heat up on the court and in their hearts.





	Tell Me Where You Want Me For the Time (I Suppose)

**Author's Note:**

> prompt 237 !! this is my first fic and im so excited that i got to write it for chenpionships !!!! pls enjoy <3
> 
> also thank u mods for dealing w my mess aieuhgurh ily lots babes

“Alright. Thanks again.”

“You’re welcome, but I better not see your face in here in another couple months, Sehun. It’s only the beginning of the semester.

“Hopefully.” It’s just a word thrown out into the space between them as he stands from his seat and picks his backpack up off the ground. Sehun gives his advisor one last half-smile before he makes his exit. They both know he’ll inevitably be back just like she suggested he not be. By now, changing his major felt like some weird habit to Sehun. He did it so often. It was almost was like some second nature.

Sehun is a sophomore in college. Junior year is just around the corner, and he’s still struggling with fitting into the metaphorical boxes that everyone seemed to be shoved into. In other words, he didn’t quite know where he fits in. Was he a closeted geek who was way too into biology and the anatomy of the human body? Was he a criminal justice wanna-be who could name, and point out, several pressure points like it was nothing? Or, maybe, he was a chilled out art student. A law nerd with a stick up his ass. This time around, he had chosen philosophy with a minor in photography. What kind of job that would get him in the future, he doesn’t know. Sounds cool, though. It feels like he’s paying money just to fuck around, but he’s just unsure. He wants to learn like everyone else. Sehun just doesn’t know what he wants to learn about. Everyone seemed to want to be firefighters and vets and culinary geniuses when they were younger while Sehun just wanted to eat dirt and play outside. The future had never really been a concern for him. He just knew he was going to get where he was going eventually. Plus, he was pretty satisfied with where he has landed as of now. His future might be a toss-up schooling and career-wise; however, there were a few things he has always been sure of - two to be exact.

Volleyball.

And Kim Jongdae.

He’s been into setting up hitters to spike a big white ball into people’s faces ever since middle school. His older sister had played for the high school team, and his Mom had dragged him to the first couple sets with her. Sehun can still remember the first time he watched his sister get stuffed when she tried to block an oncoming hit. It helped spark his love for the game. Got him to be attentive because his sister’s pain was his gain. But then he started to pay attention to other things too, and he just couldn’t get enough. Soon after, he was trying to sneak into their practices and was asking anyone who would listen if they would just teach him how. Flash forward a decade, and now he’s playing ball for his very own college. A college with a killer team. It wasn’t a surprise that he couldn’t settle on a major. Sehun didn’t come here for academics. He’d ridden here on a scholarship playing the game that he loved. Sehun was that good, and he knew it. His first year on the team was nothing short of fucking fantastic. He got along well with the guys. One of the hitters, a dude named Kim Jongin, became his best friend. They even almost won championships last year. It was like Sehun had left his old life behind just to drop right into heaven. And everything was so hunky dory until the devil incarnate himself showed up.

Sehun had always heard that short people were evil since they were closer to the ground - closer to Satan. He really got to test that theory out when they got farther into the season. When that hope of winning championships turned up short, leaving everything they could have done better to haunt them for months after.

In all honesty, going into those few sets, he had thought that his team had it in the bag. With the way the brackets were set up, they had never really played the opponents they were going up against, but that wasn’t a deterrent. Sehun and his gang were just a bunch of dudes being bros, and they were going to do what they did best. Kick some motherfucking ass. If only they knew that that wasn’t how it was going to go down. Maybe they wouldn’t have been so blindsided and shell-shocked when they lost.

They ended up playing three sets that night. Sehun’s team had only won one (and only by the skin of their teeth). It wasn’t because they weren’t playing cohesively. It wasn’t because they just weren’t on their A game that night. No, Sehun blamed it on one person and one person only. That damned fucking libero.

It was fucking frustrating. No matter who Sehun set up to hit or how, if they didn’t aim their spikes strategically away from the back row, it was a dud. The other team would just dig it back up and free ball it over. Sehun even got stuffed a few times blocking. He /never/ got stuffed. And it was all thanks to that short stack in the back. Sehun didn’t miss his smirks either. The way his eyes would flash as if to challenge Sehun. To ask if that was all he had. It messed him up enough, made him angry enough, that he started flubbing up his sets. His coach was not happy when they had to use a timeout to try and set him straight. Sehun wasn’t too pleased either. He just wanted to get back out there so he could show Napoleon Bonaparte who the king of the court really was.

Call it bad sportsmanship, but Sehun didn’t shake Danny Devito’s hand after the brutal battle had been fought. Sehun was a sore loser - what could he say? He was competitive when it came to this sport, and he didn’t like when things didn’t go his way. Jongin liked to call him a brat (as did his coach and everyone else) but Sehun didn’t care. Love him or hate him, Sehun was Sehun. If someone thought he was too much to deal with then they could kindly get bent.

That night, Jongin had tried to get him to go out and let loose after such a disappointing end of the season, but Sehun wasn’t up for it. He was determined to do something else. Something he found more important than a few drinks at some loud, dingy college bar. The rest of the team thought he went back home to mope. Sehun knew it was to learn.

It wasn’t hard to figure out Mini Me’s real name. Team pictures were usually labeled, and the internet was a wonderful place. It didn’t take him long to dig one up. It also wasn’t long before he found videos. Most teams recorded their matches so that they could go back later and comb through mistakes in hopes of fixing them. Either that or proud parents uploaded content to YouTube.

Sehun spent hours and hours watching videos of Kim Jongdae do his thing. He even took notes. And while he should have been paying attention to other things besides the shorter male, it got harder and harder for Sehun to take his eyes off Jongdae the longer he watched. That one night of angrily clicking links and scribbling potential offensive lineups turned into hours of wasted time over the weeks to come. His over analyzing turned into an obsession and that obsession turned into a crush. One that Sehun beat himself up endlessly for once he realized it was there. Over the course of learning battle tactics, he had fallen for the enemy.

The worst part about it was, Sehun didn't even think he had a chance. He wasn't as embarrassed about his crush as time went on. Didn't even care how others would react if he potentially dated his rival. It was the fear that he, Oh Sehun, wouldn't be enough for someone. From his snooping and digging, Sehun had found out that Jongdae had his life together. He was a biochemistry major who had never once changed his field of study. Unlike Sehun, Jongdae had gotten into his university with an academic scholarship. Volleyball had been just a hobby until he traded the intramural team for the school's team. Jongdae seemed to be the kind of person who was good at everything he picked up. And it wasn't hard to find out these things because everyone seemed to have good things to say about Jongdae. How could Sehun match up when he couldn't stay in one major for more than a handful of months?

Taking his mess of feelings with him home for the summer, Sehun hadn't expected to run into Jongdae. Jongin didn't even live around these parts. So what higher being told Kim Jongdae of all people that he could roam around Sehun's hometown? Upon further inspection, it wasn't a god but a someone. Jongdae's aunt lived a few blocks away and he was helping her run some kind of restaurant or something for the summer. How Sehun hadn't heard about this was beyond him. No one had gushed about how beautiful, sunshine-y, Kim Jongdae cleaned gum from under tables and waited patiently on wishy-washy customers when he had been asking around during the semester. He felt kind of cheated. Betrayed. Jongdae was still the enemy no matter how Sehun felt about him. And, now, he was roaming the place that Sehun held closest.

In all honesty, Sehun thought the summer was going to consist of dodging each other and exchanging dirty looks when they in the streets; however, that is most certainly not how things went down.

Momma raised no bitch, and so, Sehun braved the storm and ate lunch one day at Jongdae's aunt's place. He thought that the worst thing that could happen would be watching Jongdae and his perky ass walk around the place, smiling and laughing as he waited on various tables. He didn't expect to get Jongdae as his waiter, however, and Sehun didn't think that the other expected it either, judging by his reaction. The way that his eyebrows had raised and his lips had parted made Sehun's cheeks hot. And then he had spurted through his drink order like a total fool. Now, Sehun was sure about four things.

Volleyball.

His crush on Kim Jongdae.

How this crush would be the end of him.

And that he'd pretend not to know the other for the rest of their encounter. It was best this way because maybe Sehun could keep his cool if he didn't think about how he had a huge thing for his rival university’s back row player. But then things really got fucked up when Sehun somehow walked out of there with Jongdae's number hastily scribbled with a little :3 face on the back of his receipt. He doesn't know what vibes he was giving out back there, but he certainly hadn't asked for this.

Long story short, Sehun chickened out on being a chicken after a couple days and texted that number with a short 'hey.' He had no idea that that one-word beginning would blossom into a summer that he would never forget. The summer where he jumped, and let himself fully fall for Kim Jongdae. Arms outstretched and not at all worried about what impact would feel like.

Though, it all felt like a fantasy, because they both knew how hush-hush they'd have to keep things once they returned back to their respective universities for their fall semester. Sehun didn't know if he could continue to act like 'enemies' after everything that had happened in those few short summer months.

 

\----

 

Sehun finds Jongin sprawled out underneath the shady area of a tree. It's located on a smaller patch of grass between the cement walkways of campus. As he approaches, Sehun can see the other's bookbag thrown haphazardly beside him. It's contents are spilled all out like guts of a small creature. Sehun makes a face at the mess as he plops down next to him.

"What are you working on?" Sehun asks like he can't read over Jongin's shoulder. The other's handwriting is sometimes almost illegible. It's even worse than what his own can be, and that's really saying something.

"Mock lesson plans." Jongin doesn't look up from what he's scribbling down, but it's in an obnoxious pink color that makes Sehun want to close his eyes. He spots a few doodles along the corners of the other's pages too. Jongin wants to be an elementary school teacher, but Sehun can't even fathom working with kids. They're all little monsters if you ask him. Babies make him uncomfortable, and he doesn't know how to act around pregnant women. His he supposed to treat them like glass? Like they'll burst any minute? Or will they get offended if he acts to cautiously? Sehun doesn't see the appeal of carrying around a parasite for 9 months. Jongin thinks it's a beautiful process.

Sehun takes his own backpack and throws it next to Jongin's, not concerned at all about the things he's carrying in there when it hits the ground with a small thud. His phone buzzes in one of its front compartments. A text message. The name of the sender makes him grin.

[shortstack <3]

sehunnie !! did you do it ??

Sehun knows Jongdae is talking about switching majors. He'd been complaining about how unenthused he was about his last one since the end of last semester. It had only been a matter of time until he actually made the change.

[ . . . sending]

yes hyung :)

[shortstack <3]

did you finally hop over to something science-based ?? join me !!

Jongdae was a biochemistry major. It was amazing to Sehun how his boyfriend could balance something so hard with sports. How he hadn't run himself into the ground by now was beyond him.

[ . . . sending]

no i cant memorize equations like u

the only one i know off the top of my head is u + i = 69 : ))))))))

"Why are you smiling so much?" When he looks up, Jongin is trying to peak over his shoulder at his messages. Sehun is quick to dangle the device out of his reach.

"And why are you snooping? Aren't you supposed to be designing your precious 'mock lesson plans.' Nosy.."

"Sehun, you don't have to hide your sugar daddy from me. It's okay. We all know you need that extra income for all these change-ups you've been doing." Those words have Sehun sticking his tongue out at the other, depositing his phone into his lap.

"If you must know ... I'm texting that dude from dance club you always drool over. He says your ass out of this world." The blush that blossoms over Jongin's cheeks is almost instant. The gratification Sehun gets from the reaction comes almost just as fast. The shit eating grin that curls over his lips refuses to die.

"How'd you get Yixing's number?"

"I didn't, but now that I know his name I might be able to."

And with perfect timing, Sehun's phone buzzes once more, attracting both of the male's attention.

[shortstack <3]

glasses emoji

are you still coming over tonight?

[ . . . sending]

yes sir <3

"Yixing said that you should call him sometime. He'd really like to give you some private dance lessons." Sehun's eyebrows wiggle as he leans forward to whisper at Jongin; however, the squak he lets out when the other punches him resonates throughout campus.

 

\----

 

Jongdae puts down his phone once he hears his name being called, tossing out a 'just a sec' over his shoulder before he's putting the device away in his duffle and turning around to join his team. As much as he would like to text Sehun for the rest of the day, his boyfriend could wait until after practice. It was time to put his attention elsewhere.

Volleyball season for all the surrounding colleges was just beginning to start, but everyone was already getting geared up for finals. The span of a couple months would pass by quickly with how much blood, sweat, and tears they all would be putting into this. Three-hour practices on top of normal season games would wear the team thin with the addition of their individual studies, but Jongdae had faith that they would pull through. They did so last year ... and the year before that. They had a reputation to uphold. Jongdae's team had gone to championships, and won, his sophomore and junior year. It would be great if senior year could have that similar bang. If his own boyfriend couldn't keep him from the title last year, there was no way he'd let someone else snatch it up this time around.

Like every practice, they start with warm-ups. A handful of laps around the court. Stretches. A last check of the nets before they practice their hitting positions and approaches. Jongdae's always been good at digging the ball up from smashing against the ground, but this year, he really wants to work on spiking from back row too. He knows what everyone already expects from him. If he added this trick to his arsenal, it could be a surprise that earned them a few extra points.

"Damn, is that ass real?" Just as he's about to set himself up for another swing, a hand comes down on his backside. Jongdae yelps, staggering away from his offender with a barrage of whines ready to launch.

"Byun Baekhyun!"

"What? It's killing me. I couldn't just appreciate from afar anymore, Jongdae. I just couldn't." Baekhyun, regrettably, is Jongdae's best friend. They've been attached at the hip ever since they fought over something dumb in elementary school. After that, teachers used to joke that they often came off as the same person because they were so alike. They even seemed to share the same aspirations and dreams. Hence, how they both ended up on the volleyball team at the same college. Jongdae was just glad he always had a familiar face to turn to whenever he needed help. Though, Baekhyun didn't exactly give the best advice.

"Don't you have another butt to grab?"

"Chanyeol isn't here today. Something about making up a quiz or something.."

Nowadays, wherever Baekhyun could be found, Park Chanyeol wasn't far behind. The giant, floppy-eared clutz joined their little posse freshman year. Baekhyun had come out of one of his classes with the taller male trailing behind him like a lost puppy, and their lives had never been the same after that. Actually, Baekhyun didn't like Chanyeol at first. Hard to believe with how all over each other they are now, but it's the truth. Jongdae distinctly remembers Bakehyun complaining about how he couldn't have someone so clingy holding him back, and how he couldn’t be 'tied down' so early when it came to the game of hearts and dicks. To this day, Jongdae doesn't really know the actions that lead to the turn around in their relationship, but he's glad he's been spared the details. There isn't a lot that he doesn't know when it comes what's between his best friend and Chanyeol. Baekhyun tells him all the gross things while sober and everything that's mushy while drunk.

Chanyeol is usually at practices, though. And games. Why? Because dumb and dumber can't bear to be away from each other for two seconds so Baekhyun convinced their coach to let Chanyeol be their water boy. Or maybe it was their mascot? The details are so blurry now because the taller male really doesn't do what he's supposed to do. Chanyeol spends most of his time catcalling Baekhyun, and it makes Jongdae want to curl up into a ball right in the middle of the court. Maybe let people spike and hit him around too if it meant he didn't have to listen to that. It makes him glad that he and Sehun aren't like that in public. He doesn't know what he would do. Die on the spot? Dig a hole and bury himself six feet under? Jongdae liked keeping his more romantic relationships private. He didn't share much about his personal life with anyone except Baekhyun (and Chanyeol). If possible, he'd like to keep it that way. Plus, he couldn't imagine how people would act if they found out he was dating Sehun. They were rivals and they played it up like they were. What happened if that image were to shatter?

The rest of practice, thankfully, goes on without a hitch. The worst thing to happen is when they don't meet a certain goal during one of their drills. Jongdae isn't really a fan of combining burpees with suicides, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Three of those and they're let go for a water break. Next comes Jongdae's favorite part.

Scrimmages.

They've got enough on the team to break up into two squads. They'll usually go at it for few matches, and the losing side has more running to do before they can leave. The thrill of competition was nice; however, the impending doom of whatever cardiac drill coach had in store for the loser got people going too. Jongdae thought the worst part of today would be if he got his ass kicked. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It was when Park Chanyeol finally decided to show his face.

Jongdae doesn't notice when he walks in, too caught up in the task at hand to really focus on anything else, but he does see how disheveled Chanyeol is when he plops loudly against the bleachers. He doesn't doubt that the lanky male ran all the way here from wherever he was. Jongdae looks through the net at Baekhyun (who's on the other team), and it doesn't look like he's really acknowledged his boyfriend either. Baekhyun's competitiveness must be winning over his compulsion to be gross whenever Chanyeol is around because Jongdae doesn't hear any out of breath side comments either. Thank god. Jongdae’s padded knees hit the ground in an attempt to prevent an ace when the relief he was feeling only seconds ago fades.

"Byun Baekhyun! Byun Baekhyun!"

Jongdae doesn't know where he got it, but Chanyeol somehow produces a big, glittery sign out of nowhere. It's got volleyball stickers, Baekhyun's jersey number, and the words 'king of the court and number one in my heart' painted onto it with loud letters. This isn't even a game. This extraness isn't needed.

"Nice back row spike, baby!"

"Thanks, babe."

Jongdae almost throws up all over his shoes when Baekhyun looks over his shoulder to wink saucily at Chanyeol. By now, the rest of the team has paused their activities to watch the couple, and suddenly, Jongdae is experiencing the secondhand embarrassment he feels almost every single day. It's just one of the many perks of being friends with two lovesick dummies.

It's a good thing Jongdae's team ends up winning the scrimmage, though, because he feels twenty times better after watching Baekhyun run his twenty laps around the gym.

 

\----

 

[shortstack <3]

baek left for yeols!! come by whenever ~~~

Sehun finds himself staring at the cheeky emoji at the end of the other's text message for way too long.

Now is not the time, Kim Jongdae. This is supposed to be a study secession not a make out secession.

Today, they both have a little break in their schedule so it was only natural to fill that gap of time with each other. Sehun just wanted to swing by so he could cuddle with his boyfriend until he was eventually kicked out, but Jongdae had insisted that they at least be productive if Sehun was going to come sit around with him. Sehun would have argued that that was what Netflix and Chill was for, but he knew there was no use in arguing. He was too whipped not to let Jongdae have his way. That's how most of their arguments went. Sehun couldn't even baby it up and pull his dongsaeng card. Resistance was futile.

And so, like the good boyfriend he was, Sehun drove his shit pile of a car the whole forty-five minutes it took to get to Jongdae's university. How was that for romantic? Not everyone on campus was a huge volleyball fan so it wasn't like he had to sneak around or anything once he got there; however, he did need Jongdae to get into the other's dorm. And they did need to be more careful once they got into the building because Jongdae lived with the rest of the university’s athletes. Which meant if they weren't careful there was a possibility that they could run into one of his boyfriend's teammates. That wasn't as much of a problem for Sehun as it was for Jongdae. Before this semester had started, it was true that Sehun had been skeptical about letting the cat out of the bag but after the first couple weeks had gone by, he had found himself more and more indifferent. He was being quiet for his boyfriend. Jongdae had told Sehun once when he had brought his new feelings about the situation up, that he liked his private life, well, private. It was no one else's business but his own who he was dating, and Sehun respected that.

[ . . . sending]

here ... come greet the best bf ever

Sehun sends that from his car. He's got his engine and headlights off but the stereo still running, letting the radio hum on as he waits. He recognizes the song after a moment. Something from Bolbbalgan4. Galaxy, he thinks.

The interior lights flicker on when the door opens. It doesn't startle him because the voice that greets his ears is smooth and low. Jongdae sounds like he just woke up from a nap. Sehun wouldn't be surprised if the other fell asleep while waiting for him to arrive. Jongdae was a hard worker, and Sehun was proud of him for it.

"I never took you for a BOL4 kind of guy, Sehunnie. Is this what you listen to when I'm not around?"

"No," Sehun snorts, leaning a little closer over the middle console. "But there's nothing wrong with a little mood-making music is there?" Eyes caress the contours of Jongdae's face in the yellow lights of his car interior. The curve of his lips. The sharpness of his cheeks and jaw. His eyes, nose, moles, ears, adam's apple. His gaze eats up everything before the light flicks off and darkness fills the space, Sehun closing the gap even further to slot their lips together. Kissing Jongdae after days of being without him is like getting struck by lightning. It's a just a gentle and lingering press of lips but the feeling that comes with it is everything to Sehun. Jongdae must feel it too because when Sehun goes to sit back in his seat, the older stops him with a hand to his cheek. Pulls him in for a few more pecks that are just as soft as the first one.

"I missed you." It's a gentle breath against Sehun's face as Jongdae murmurs to him over the quiet melodies of the radio. And, gosh, did Sehun miss him too. Summer hadn't given them enough months just to exist with each other. They're still in that honeymoon phase of their relationship where they're so in love that even the smallest distance hurts.

"What? Those pictures I sent you the other day weren't enough to hold you over for a few more weeks?" That earns Sehun a push to the shoulder and a whine. Jongdae is always so quick to scold him but never without a smile.

"I don't know what kind of wank bank you think I own, Oh Sehun, but those pictures were too blurry for your micropenis to even be seen."

Sehun almost tumbles right out of his car he laughs so hard.

They sneak into Jongdae's dorm without any problems. Sehun has to check himself in as a guest at the front desk in the lobby area, but it's by a couple of football players who look like they'd rather be sleeping than manning the front of the building. They check Sehun's ID and what not without a second glance. Harmless.

"So what did you bring me tonight?" Jongdae asks once they step through his front door, Sehun making sure to slip off his shoes before walking any further.

Sehun likes his university. He really does. If you ask him, it's superior to any others around even if he just went there because they offered him a volleyball scholarship. However, he's always been jealous of Jongdae because they give him this. His boyfriend's dorm is way bigger than his. Maybe it was because Sehun was still just a lower classman, but the difference in the size of their dorms was ridiculous. Sehun's was just one room (that he shared with Jongin) connected to a bathroom that he shared with two other people across the way. Jongdae's was a mansion compared to what he had to live in. The older had a common room area that him and Baekhyun both shared. It was like a little living area and kitchen combined into one. Then they had their respective bedrooms plus a shared bathroom. Maybe that's why they decided they'd always meet here and not at Sehun's. There was more room to fuck around.

"Well, I highly doubt you want to be bored to death with ethical theory..."

Jongdae makes a face at that from where he's started rummaging around in the mini kitchen, confirming Sehun's thoughts.

"How bold of you to assume my likes and dislikes."

Sehun rolls his eyes as he ditches his backpack in favor of saddling up behind Jongdae, chin tucking over his shoulder and arms wrapping around his waist. His boyfriend usually looks small to him, though, Jongdae never looks tinier than he does when Sehun is wrapped around him. It makes the taller's heart travel leaps and bounds.

"I brought you my science course," Sehun murmurs with his lips pressed to the shell of Jongdae's ear. "Chemistry II to be exact." He can feel the other shiver from where his front his pressed to his boyfriend's back. Sehun forces back a grin.

"Oh, yes, Sehun. Talk dirty to me."

It was quiet only for a moment before they both burst into tiny giggles. Their shoulders shake in unison and Sehun goes from having his chin hooked over Jongdae's shoulder to having his face buried against it. He doesn't remove it or himself from the other as Jongdae moves to the microwave to throw in the popcorn. Sehun shuffles with him to his destination. Call him a koala because he was definitely clinging to the older like one. He expects Jongdae to whine at him with the words 'you're too heavy' and 'get off' but they never come. Sehun takes it as encouragement to stick close, lifting his head to watch popcorn cook through the glass of the microwave.

"Where did Baekhyun go anyway?" Like he didn't already know. Jongdae told him things about Baekhyun. Things he wished he could unhear.

"Chanyeol's," Jongdae hums, turning his head to look at Sehun.

"To bone?" Sehun wiggles his eyebrows and Jongdae makes to bite at his nose, the younger dancing away from his attack. "And that's why I'm here, right? It's just you and me. Here. Alone." Knuckles wrap lightly against the nearest wall. "Exactly how thin are these walls?"

Jongdae turns away from the microwave with a stern look on his face, hands on his hips.

"No, you're here to be taught by Professor Kim."

"Oh ho. That's kinky. Please, continue."

"Sehun, really-"

"The popcorn is burning."

Sure enough, the smell of burnt popcorn has started to waft through the room and Jongdae curses. The microwave opens with a pop, the older reaching in to quickly drag out the hot bag. Jongdae doesn't even check if anything is salvageable before he drops the whole thing in the garbage. Sehun shoots the other an apologetic look over the armrest of the couch, having sat himself down to start getting out his school stuff while his boyfriend dealt with their failed snack. Jongdae joins him after a moment and, by then, he's already gotten all his things set up on the table. Sehun isn't really big on stationary like some people are. All he's got is a pack of pencils, a notebook or two, and a few pens. They're all present here with his Chemistry book and lab notes.

"Sorry I'm so distracting." There's a hint of playfulness in Sehun's words, but it's still a sincere apology. He makes sure Jongdae knows it by punctuating it with a kiss to the other's cheek. It's accepted with a hum and a nudge as the older moves close enough that their thighs are pressed against each other.

"It's okay. What are you working on?" Sehun's nose scrunches.

"I don't know. I need help understanding concepts, I guess."

Jongdae gets that look in his eye like when he's in the zone on the court, and Sehun knows he's in for a ride. He lets his boyfriend dive into his book. Lets him underline sentences and read him paragraphs. Jongdae always explains better than anyone else ever could. Or, maybe Sehun just thought that because he was biased. His boyfriend's voice was soothingly hypnotic whenever he got into things like this. It made Sehun listen intently, hanging onto every single word; however, the younger often got distracted by how animated Jongdae's face would get. The other's eyebrows would get all expressive and his lips would pout as he talked. It would inevitably get harder and harder to concentrate properly. Sehun would find himself doing exactly what he was doing right now. Staring straight at those kitten curled lips.

His gaze must be obvious because, through the sudden haze in his mind, Sehun notices Jongdae falter before he stops talking altogether. And just like that, they're kissing. It starts off the way things had gone down in the car. Soft and slow. Sehun is very aware of the hand resting against his thigh. And then Jongdae is in his lap with a hand in his hair and things take off. No amount of popcorn would have been able to sate the hunger that thrums through him at this moment. The little noises that Jongdae is making into his mouth are not helping whatsoever. Sehun feels lightheaded.

He loses track of how long they sit like that, wrapped up in each other. It could be just minutes or a few hours. Either way, Sehun doesn't really care. This is what he wanted. He wanted it to be summer again so he could kiss Jongdae like this not just every couple weeks and without worrying about what anyone else thought. He had such a thirst for the other that could never be quenched. And Sehun is pretty sure things would have escalated into something much steamier if the sound of the lock turning hadn't frozen both of them in their tracks.

"Shit," Sehun curses against Jongdae's kiss-swollen lips.

"Baekhyun," Jongdae says at about the same time, suddenly springing into action as he scrambles off of Sehun. "Get up." He pulls at Sehun's arm. "Sehun, get up!" It's all said in a loud whisper, Jongdae dragging the taller up off the couch and pushing him towards his bedroom. "Stay in here and don't move until I come get you," is the last thing he tells Sehun before shutting the door in his face. The conversation that Sehun hears through it is as follows:

"Baekhyun! I thought you were spending the night at Yeol's?"

Unintelligible noises.

"Are you drunk?"

"Maybe."

"How did you get here? Where's your boyfriend?"

More unintelligible noises.

"I said where's your boyfriend?"

"Outside."

Sehun had been hatching a plan to break himself out of here without getting caught, but that doesn't really seem like a dilemma now. A shitfaced Baekhyun doesn't really seem like something he has to worry about. He hears Jongdae say something to Baekhyun about getting him cleaned up before the sound of a door shutting and water running filters through to Sehun. He takes that as his cue to slip out.

On his way to his car, he discovers what Baekhyun means by outside. Outside means Chanyeol laying atop of one of the picnic tables seated by the entrance of the dorm, equally as shitfaced as his boyfriend and belting out the words to Genie by Girls Generation.

 

\----

 

The next couple of weeks after their 'close call' are a jam-packed whirlwind. Sehun only gets to see Jongdae on some Saturdays and during games if their schedules don't clash. Volleyball season has gone into full throttle which means Sehun is under maximum stress. If he's not in class or studying he's either practicing or mowing through his endless list of games. There's not a lot of sleep to be had, but somehow, he makes it through each day. Sehun did it last year. He can do it this year too. It probably helps a little that they're winning more times than losing. Their record is over five hundred; however, nothing really matters until they start being put in brackets for the championship game at the end of the season. That's what Sehun looks forward to the most. Their early wins might light a fire under his butt, but nothing will be like snatching that title. Maybe the stars will align once again to allow Sehun's team to play Jongdae's at the final showdown. Nothing would be sweeter than rubbing that victory in his boyfriend's face. They were both expected to do good this year. It certainly would be a showdown to see. However, no one could really predict how the season was about to go down. That's why everyone was so surprised when Jongdae's team got knocked out early. Actually, there was an uproar seeing as everyone thought they'd win it all once again.

Sehun was there to witness the whole debacle. He had missed the first match because he had to run all the way there from a late practice. Upon asking the person next to him once he had sat down in the stands, Jongdae's team had won the first match with ease. To Sehun, it sounded like this set was going to be a routine blowout. Nothing to really worry about. In fact, Sehun was so confident in his boyfriend and his team that he left to grab something to snack on from concessions. Imagine his surprise when he entered the gymnasium just to see that they were down. And it wasn't just a small gap either. Sehun had only been gone maybe ten minutes, but, somehow, that had been enough time for the other team to rise above by twelve whole points. In volleyball, a team only needs 25 points to win as long as they're leading by a two-point margin. The team Jongdae was facing was well on their way there. Six to eighteen really wasn't looking too good. Sehun was glued to his seat when the final point was scored as the other team pulled through with winning the second match. Volleyball was always the best two out of three, but Sehun could tell his boyfriend's team and their fans were poorly shook up.

The third match was an absolute bloodbath with casualties on both sides. It was almost too hard to watch, but Sehun couldn't keep his eyes off of Jongdae. Jongdae who didn't like to lose just as much as he did (even if his boyfriend wasn't as outspoken about it). Jongdae who put his all into everything he did. Sehun knew this loss would tear his boyfriend up inside, and as the buzzer sounded and the crowd went apeshit, he felt his gut twist sharply. This set didn't slip through his fingers, but it sure felt like it did. It wasn't his team who came up short, but it felt like it was. Sehun remembers Jongdae talking about how he wanted his last year of volleyball to go out with a bang. He's sure the other didn't mean like this.

After the two teams shake hands and tell each other good game, people start filtering out. The other team heads into the visitor locker room to change while Jongdae's team is left to take down the net. Sehun is a head above most of the crowd. He uses his height to try and keep his eyes on Jongdae, hoping to catch his gaze on his way out; however, his boyfriend seems to be looking everywhere but at him. That makes Sehun's heart hurt even more. He's smart enough to know that Jongdae is beating himself up right now even if he's still all smiles for his teammates.

Following the flow of the crowd, Jongdae is close enough for Sehun to brush his fingers gently against his back as he passes. His boyfriend doesn't jump but he does say something over his shoulder.

"Don't wait up for me."

And Sehun doesn't.

But he doesn't exactly get in his car and drive back to his dorm either. No, instead he pays a visit to the nearest supermarket and picks up a container of some of Jongdae's favorite cookies. He may have class early the next morning, but operation Cheer Up Jongdae was underway.

By the time he gets back to Jongdae's dorm, it's been almost an hour since everything had gone to shit. It wants his arrival to be a secret. How he manages to get someone to let him in is a miracle. In all honesty, he doesn't care if anyone recognizes him. He's fully prepared for Baekhyun to open that door when he comes knocking. He's also fully prepared to tell the pipsqueak to move out of his way because he's got a boyfriend to comfort; however, surprisingly, it isn't Baekhyun who opens the door. It's Jongdae.

He must have gotten back a while ago because he looks to be freshly showered. Sehun can see it in the wetness of his hair. Can smell it in the gentle scent of his body wash.

"Is Baekhyun here?"

"No. Sehun, why are you here-"

"Look, I totally made you your favorite cookies. See?" Sehun takes the obviously store bought container of cookies out of the bag to waggle them in front of Jongdae. He catches the small upturn of the other's lips, and he knows he's gotten himself access to inside.

Jongdae doesn't even try to stop him as he pushes past him to get inside.

"Baekhyun really shouldn't try to defeat his sorrows with sex. That'll develop bad habits," he muses out loud as he kicks off his shoes and sets the cookies down on a counter. Sehun can feel Jongdae hovering behind him, opening the cookie container to offer one to his boyfriend. The older turns him down with a soft frown, murmuring to Sehun that he's not all that hungry.

Hm.

"Alright. Okay, fine. Let's go lay down then. Cuddle times with the Oh man."

Jongdae doesn't really have much say as Sehun drags him into the other's bedroom, pulling back the covers of his neatly made bed to shimmy himself under them. He gives the older a look until Jongdae decides to join him. Sehun's arms mold around him like magnets. He can feel the tension bleed from his boyfriend, Jongdae pressing to him tightly. Breathing him in. Like this, Sehun can definitely smell the other's shampoo. It's a familiar scent. Soothing.

They lay like this for a while. Comfortable silence as they just hold each other. Sehun thinks of all the thoughts that could be flying through Jongdae's head. He knows what it's like to be let down from something you wanted so dearly. It happened to him last year. Sehun is the one to break the quiet between them.

"You know, you did your best, Jongdae."

He squirms around until they're face to face, noses almost brushing as their hands curl together in the space between them.

"It's nothing that you did that made you guys lose. I was there. You put your heart and soul into that game just like you do everything else. I could feel how bad you wanted to win that from the stands. Don't break yourself over something that was out of your control." Sehun isn't always the best at giving advice or comforting people who are down, but he wants to do good for Jongdae. He wants to help lift him up from this low. "It just wasn't your guys' year."

"Oh, so then it's your year then?"

Sehun grins, and Jongdae uses their intertwined hands to whack the younger's chest. A little 'oof' is heard before Sehun continues, curling in a little on himself in surrender.

"Okay, okay. Sorry. Back to cheering you up." There's a pause before he speaks again, watching Jongdae a moment before he speaks. "You did look pretty hot out there, though. I can tell you that." Now it's the older's turn to try and curl in on himself, trying to hide his hot cheeks from his smug boyfriend; however, Sehun catches him by the face before he can. A shower of kisses rains down upon Jongdae as he wiggles to try and escape. Once the first laugh escapes his lover's lips, Sehun knows he's succeeded. Operation Cheer Up Jongdae goes down as a win in the younger's book.

They don't get out of bed for the rest of the night. Falling asleep as snug as a bug in a rug, Sehun doesn't leave until late the next morning. He's late to his first class, though, it was totally worth it.

 

\----

 

Things may not have gone super well for Jongdae's team, but Sehun's was skyrocketing to the top. They were accumulating win after win until the championship game was right around the corner. And bless Jongdae. He had made sure to be at every single game to secretly cheer Sehun on from the stands. Sehun made sure to thank him somehow after every one too. He had to make sure that Jongdae knew he was appreciated. It probably sucked watching a game that you could still be playing if things had gone differently; however, despite that, Jongdae still supported him. Sehun swears he's going to marry this man.

He's glad that the championship game ends up being on a Saturday because Sehun doesn't think he can stomach going to class before something this big. His nerves weren't this bad last year. Things were a little different this time around, though. The game was going to be played at home. Winning or losing was always more significant when it happened on your home court. Being on the home court also meant a bigger crowd. Sehun had never been spooked by those either, but his stomach always ended up in knots when he thought about disappointing all those people. People never realized how much pressure was put on school athletes. You weren't just bringing yourself down by losing. You were also bringing down the fans you were carrying on your back. It was a scary thing to think about if Sehun got too in his head.

"You ready for this, bro?"

Sehun had been zoning out a little when Jongin pats his back. They're all dressed and ready to go, the gymnasium still pretty empty as they set up the net before the other team arrives for warm up. The timer on the game clock had started ticking down from forty-five.

Forty-five.

Forty-five minutes and counting until game time.

"Hell yeah. All day. I'm ready to fuck shit up." Sehun shoves him a little. "It's you and me, okay? I'll be setting you up a ton. Look for those gaps."

"No problemo. You can count on me. Let's kick some ass today."

They all get along well and are an overall chatty team, but no one jokes or speaks, really, as they warm up. Sehun may have gotten distracted by his own thoughts earlier; however, the only thing that should be on their mind is winning. As soon as you step foot on that court, you have to start honing your focus in. Nothing shakes it. Not even the other team moseying into the gym like they own the place.

The staredowns that happen feel like something in a movie. It doesn't help that some dramatic ass boy group song is playing over the speakers. Sehun's nerves spark into a raging fire. They haven't even started, yet, he feels as though he could cut the tension between the two teams with a knife. The rest of their warm-ups are performed with a newfound vigor.

When it's time for them to move off so the other team can do their warm-ups, they spend the rest of the remaining minutes in their locker room. They give each other pep talks and talk about their game plan. Their coach delivers a speech like no other before they run out just in time to see the clock tick down to zero. The buzzer that comes after sounds off like a gong inside Sehun's head. Everything that happens next goes by in a blur.

The coin toss that determines who serves and who receives.

The meeting of team captains.

The officials settling into their places.

The initial good luck handshakes and the setting up of their defense.

Nothing really cements itself in Sehun's mind until, by some miracle, his gaze connects with Jongdae's stare from within the crowd. Everything within himself settles. The calm before the storm. Jongdae nods at him and Sehun smiles. One of the officials blows their whistle, followed by the resounding smack of the ball as the other's team server sends it over the net. Thunder cracks. Rain pours.

It's game time.

Sehun's team springs into action, digging the ball up from the serve and getting it to him in a way that he can set up one of the hitters. Naturally, he goes for Jongin. And the set is good. It's nice and high, allowing his friend to get a good jump before slamming his hand down to send the ball flying the other team's way. It lands with a loud smack right next to the back row player who had tried to save it from hitting the floor. The crowd explodes in mixed cheers of Jongin's name. An ace on the first point. Sehun's team surges into the middle of their side of the net for a quick group hug, unabashed joy on their faces.

"Told you you could count on me," Jongin yells over the lingering yells.

The fire in Sehun's veins burns even hotter.

They may have stolen the first point for themselves within the first few seconds of the match, but that doesn't mean an easy win lies in front of them. The other team wants this win just as much as they do. Sehun can see it in their eyes through the holes of the net. But he'll be damned if their desire shines brighter than his. Sehun refuses to lose championships for the second year in a row. He will not be that sob story.

Like Jongdae's last set, Sehun's team wins the first match and gives up the second to the other side. They don't flub up the when it comes down to crunch time. In fact, the third and final match is so close that everyone is on the edge of their seats.

They've got a four-point lead. A score of twenty to sixteen flashes across the scoreboard. Sweat is dripping down Sehun's forearms and threatening to cloud his vision but there is no slowing down. Not when they're so close. Not even when he goes to spike the ball himself and gets stuffed in the face. Twenty to seventeen. Sehun can taste the victory on his tongue. They're right there.

The game-winning point comes from a long volley. Every single time it looks like someone is going to land the ball against the floor, the other team digs it up in a frantic fashion. Sehun's team can't afford to lose their lead and the opposing team can't let this slip through their fingers; but then, they lose control of a particularly hard spike and the ball goes flying off into the stands. Sehun can't hear anything over the roaring in his ears.

There are bodies bumping against his and people shaking his shoulders. It doesn't register fully what had happened until Jongin is lifting him up above the crowd that had swarmed over the court, twirling him around like a fucking ballerina or some shit.

They won. They fucking won.

Sehun doesn't know what comes over him but he yells. He yells and pounds his fist in the air. Runs to every single one of his teammates and hugs them like he's trying to squeeze every ounce of life out of them. Sehun is celebrating with every single person he can get his hands on. Yelling his joyous cheers at anyone who will listen.

And then something magical happens.

The crowd seems to part and there's Jongdae, staring at him like he's just stumbled upon something great. And Sehun can't help himself. Can stop himself from what he's about to do.

His steps feel slow as he approaches his boyfriend. Sehun doesn't feel the eyes on him as his fingers curl into the collar of Jongdae's shirt, pulling him in close as he presses their lips together. The sparks that come off of kissing Jongdae combined with the adrenaline that's still pumping through him creates a new kind of feeling that Sehun has never felt before. It feels dangerous because he's already addicted. Already drunk off the way this whole entire thing makes him feel.

But then there's the sound of flashes and more hushed whispers than victory cheers. The moment is broken as Jongdae pushes him away, revealing the circle of people that had gathered around them. Anger strikes through Sehun as his eyes land on someone who seems to have recorded the whole thing (and still is).

"Dude, could you not-"

Sehun advances. His fingers reach for that damn phone until there's a noise from behind him and suddenly Jongdae is gone.

"Fuck." The taller male swears out loud, calling his boyfriend's name as he makes to chase after him but a hand grabs his wrist before he can attempt to even push through the crowd.

"Hey, coach wants us. Trophy pictures."

When the photographer snaps the picture, everyone looks completely ecstatic but Sehun. This was the night that he was looking forward to. Too bad all those happy feelings had gone right out the window.

 

\----

 

When Jongdae gets back to his dorm, it's well past eleven at night. He's upset and tired. Conflicted. That kiss was definitely nice and all, but Sehun went against his wishes to remain quiet about their relationship. And, god, people had recorded the whole thing. Taken pictures too. He feels so humiliated. It was like he had been an animal on display just for anyone to gawk it. Jongdae would be fine with not seeing anyone for the rest of the night and sleeping his problems away.

The lights are all off when he makes his way through the door. He had expected to see Baekhyun in the living room with Chanyeol or something, but there's no sign of life to be seen in the common room.

"Baekhyun?"

Maybe his roommate had gone out for the night. It was the weekend, after all. Spending it partying was definitely something Baekhyun would do. He always tried to drag Jongdae out with him. 'Let's go clubbing,' he would say. 'Maybe you can hook up with some hot guy and have some fun for once in your life. Just remember to wrap it up.' But Jongdae would always turn him down because one, he had Sehun, and two, clubbing just wasn't for him. He could tolerate sweaty bodies on the court but he didn't think he could take them grinding up against him.

Jongdae catches the single light shining through Baekhyun's open bedroom door when he ventures farther into the dorm. His car keys get set against the kitchen counter as he passes, stalking cautiously towards the source of brightness as he calls out his best friend's name once more. He doesn't get an answer, but what he sees when he makes it to the doorway isn't really what he's expecting either.

Baekhyun swivels around slowly in his computer chair to face Jongdae. His legs are crossed and his hands are in his lap. Jongdae would call him the Godfather if the other had a cat to pet.

"Kim Jongdae. When were you going to tell me that you're fraternizing with the enemy?"

And lo and behold, behind Baekhyun is a looped video of him and Sehun kissing. Right there in the middle of the court. For everyone to see. They sure did upload that quick. Jongdae watches long enough to see Sehun start storming towards whoever is holding the phone. He has to look away after that. Jongdae feels a little sick.

"There's been a traitor amongst us all this whole time and I didn't even know."

"Baekhyun-"

"Is this why you wouldn't let me set you up with anyone? Because you're dating," he gets up from his chair and points a finger at the screen, " because you're dating him? Oh Sehun?"

Jongdae stays quiet.

"When were you going to tell me?" Baekhyun's arms cross in front of him. "Huh? When were you going to tell me, Mr. Kim?"

"I didn't want you to scare him off."

Baekhyun scoffs at that.

"You didn't want me to scare him off? Little ol' me? I'm harmless."

Jongdae snorts.

"You could have told me. I wouldn't have made that big of a deal out of it."

"Really?"

"Okay, maybe I would have lost my shit, but that's irrelevant. You made me find out like this." Baekhyun plops back down in his chair, acting dramatically defeated as he drapes himself across its surface. "Imagine how my fragile heart quaked when I first stumbled upon this." A hand goes to his chest. "My best friend in a committed relationship and he didn't even bother to tell me. The audacity." And then he suddenly sits up straight. "Wait, how long have you two been dating?"

Jongdae answers after he's sat himself on the edge of the other's bed, looking apologetic. He's always been one to put his feelings on the back burner for others. "Since July."

That's enough to send Baekhyun into another dramatic fit, gasping as he clutches his heart once more and throws his head back.

"Five whole months? Almost half a year? You wound me!"

"I'm sorry. The privacy of keeping it quiet was just ... nice."

Baekhyun seems to sober up at that, eyebrows pulling together as he regards Jongdae. Serious face: on.

"Look, if you're happy then I'm happy. That's all that really matters to me. But that also means that if you're upset, I'm upset. I know you like to keep your personal things to yourself. But," he cuts Jongdae off as he opens his mouth to talk, "you've got to take his feelings into account too. He let you be selfish."

Jongdae knows Baekhyun is right. In fact, Jongdae has known what Baekhyun is telling him for a long time. He had just been too scared to do anything about it.

"I know this isn't how you wanted things to go down, but everything is out in the open now. What are you going to do? Be upset for the rest of eternity?"

Baekhyun answers for him before he can even think.

"No, because that's fucking stupid. My best friend is almost a 4.0 student. He's smarter than that."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right." Baekhyun stands up from his computer chair once more, patting Jongdae's shoulder on his way out. "I've done all that I've can. My work here is over." He gives Jongdae one last look. "You know what you've got to do."

 

\----

 

Sehun doesn't know what to do. His phone is blowing up with notifications, and it's honestly ridiculous. He had been so tempted to turn it off on the ride back to his dorm. He didn't, though. What if Jongdae texted him? Sehun figured he'd give his boyfriend space unless he called demanding his presence. He's already fucked up the night. Why make things worse? He and Jongin had carpooled together to the game and Sehun is glad the other doesn't talk to him even when they step into their pathetic excuse for a dorm. He doesn't really feel like recapping tonight's mishaps.

He drops his duffle by his bed and flops onto it spread-eagled on his back. No matter how long he stares at the ceiling, it doesn't give him answers on what he's supposed to do next. Jongin sounds like he's getting ready for a shower. Sehun can hear the drawers of their dresser opening and closing. His best friend rummaging through the bathroom.

The sound of water hits Sehun's ears. Good, he thinks briefly. Time to himself was what he wanted right now anyways. His mind wouldn't shut up about Jongdae. It was best if no one else's voice added to the one in his head.

"So ... Kim Jongdae, huh?"

Great. Sehun lifts his head to see Jongin, shirtless, standing by the foot of his bed. They had never turned on the lights so the one that comes in through the bathroom shadows the other's face. Sehun's head thunks back down.

"Yes, Jongin. Weren't you watching? Didn't you see the damn video?"

Sehun really doesn't want to go through this right now. He doesn't have the strength or willpower to answer dumb, obvious questions. It doesn't help that Jongin has the nerve to answer his questions with the word 'wig.'

"So you're just going to lay here and mope for the rest of the night?"

"Mm."

"Aren't relationships all about communication? You're not supposed to go to bed mad. It's not good for you."

Sehun knows he fucked up. Sehun knows that he should probably go apologize in person, but he's a very prideful man. He doesn't want to be the first one to give in.

"I mean, you're the philosophy major. You should know some complex shit that applies to this, right? I don't even know if you're listening to me so I'm going to get in the shower. If you gotta piss, hold it." And with that, Jongin goes into the bathroom and shuts the door, leaving Sehun alone in the dark.

Sehun sits up, swinging his feet over the side of his bed and staring at them through the lack of light. Maybe he is being dumb. And that thing about being a philosophy major makes him think. Sehun remembers reading about something called the 'Michelangelo effect.' It talked about how the people we end up loving shape us into the person we want to be. Jongdae definitely was doing that. Just within these five months, Sehun felt like he had changed. Not a whole lot, but he was happier too. He didn't want to put a damper on that because he refused to act like an adult after a mess up.

"Hey, Jongin. Thanks for the advice. I'll make sure to get in contact with Yixing for you." Sehun yells on his way out and he swears he hears a crash come from the shower.

 

\----

 

Jongdae's university really needs to handle security better because this is the second time he's been able to sneak into the dorms without getting in trouble. It helps, though, that he gets someone to help him through. Maybe they recognize him from the video and feel sorry for him. Either way, it doesn't matter to Sehun. As long as he gets to Jongdae to say what he has to say then it's all okay.

It's Baekhyun who opens the door this time around. He doesn't look very happy to see Sehun. In fact, after yelling 'he's not here,' the shorter male shuts the door right in Sehun's face. Cool.

Sehun knocks again. More times than the last and harder until Baekhyun opens the door once again. His facial expression is softer than the last time Sehun saw it.

"Okay, what I mean is, you just missed him. He's not here, but I can tell you where he might be." He holds up a hand when Sehun goes to talk, stopping him before stabbing a finger in his direction. "And, for the record, I was trying to help you out. So never say I haven't done anything for you, Oh Sehun."

"I ... okay? Noted?"

"Try the Rec Center. If they give you trouble, throw out my name. Kyungsoo owes me."

Sehun can't even get out a thank you before Baekhyun disappears once more.

 

\----

 

Kyungsoo turns out to be the lone student working the turnstiles to get through the front of the Rec Center. He's a smaller man with big eyes, and he greets Sehun with an 'ID please' as he approaches. He doesn't even look up from the book he's reading when he asks.

"Uh.. no?"

"Then you can't get in." He finally looks up at Sehun, squinting for a moment before letting his lips turn down into a frown. "Is this your first time here or something? I've never seen you around before."

"I, uh, actually don't go here. At all. Like I don't even go to this university, but my boyfriend is down there, probably, and I really need to talk to him. So if you could be a pal and let me through, I'd really, really appreciate it."

Kyungsoo stares at him before putting down whatever he was reading with a very loud sigh. "Look," he starts out," this is a facility for this school's students only. If you don't go here, this is the farthest I can let you. I'm sure whatever you two have going on can wait until the morning. Have a nice night." And with that, he resumes with his book... until Sehun snatches it right out of his hands.

"Okay. Hi. Hey. Let me properly introduce myself." He steps back so he can bow a little bit, trying not to get his ass kicked for stealing the other's reading material. "I'm Oh Sehun. Did you see that video? Y'know, the one. That was me. I was the star of that." He lifts up the book. "Is this a rental? I could sign it. I could even give you a picture if you wanted. I don't care. I'll give you anything you want if you just let me through. No one will even know. I won't say a word."

This dude already looked pissed off when Sehun met him. Now he looks like he'd rather throw the taller down a flight of stairs.

"Sir, I don't know who the hell you are, and I certainly don't know what video you're talking about. But if you don't give me my book back and leave, I'm going to have to contact the campus police to remove you." And that certainly sounds like a real threat.

Cautiously, Sehun gives the other his book and holds his hands in the air as a sign of surrender; however, that doesn't mean he's done trying. He's still got one more card to play.

"I didn't want to have to do this to you, but you leave me no choice. Byun Baekhyun-"

Kyungsoo holds up his hand to stop Sehun.

"Say no more. Don't even utter his name." The shorter pulls out his student ID and swipes it against the scanner, letting Sehun slide through. "We close in twenty minutes. Be out by then, and tell that bastard to quit telling people I owe him. I don't."

Sehun thanks Kyungsoo with a deep bow before turning and taking the stairs by twos that lead down to the lower level. He and Jongdae aren't the only people here. Sehun passes by a few stragglers who look like they're aiming to get home. In all honesty, he's a little lost, but Sehun doesn't ask them for help.

Of course, fate would have Jongdae be in the last room he checks. It's a court all the way in the back of the building. It's basketball hoops have all been pulled up so people can volley across the net without hitting something.

Sehun watches from the sidelines as his boyfriend throws a volleyball against the wall facing away from him, letting it bounce back towards him before picking it up and repeating the whole process once more. It's kind of pathetic to watch, actually. Looks like he wasn't the only one who had planned on moping tonight.

"Looks like you could use some company. Haven't you ever heard that one is the loneliest number?"

The sudden sound of his voice startles Jongdae, the older whirling around to face him as the volleyball rolls past him and towards Sehun. The taller picks it up, examines it, and throws it back towards his boyfriend. "Come on. Let's volley." Sehun sets himself up across from Jongdae, and that's what they do. They bump the ball back and forth between each other in silence. No one really says a word. Jongdae looks like he might a couple times, but it's Sehun who speaks up first.

"Listen, I'm sorry. Okay?"

Jongdae doesn't send the ball back his way. He catches it instead so it doesn't serve as a distraction as Sehun talks. Jongdae really wants to hear what he has to say.

"I mean, I'm really not because I shouldn't be afraid to kiss my own boyfriend in public but-" That earns him a volleyball to the leg, Jongdae having chucked it his way in retaliation for his words. "I know I screwed up. I was all caught up in the moment, but I shouldn't have just kissed you in front of everyone like that. Not when I knew how you felt about privacy." Without the ball being between the two of them, it's easy for Sehun and Jongdae to gravitate towards each other. It happens so naturally. Sehun doesn't even notice he's moved until his hands are gently molding against the small of Jongdae's back. His boyfriend's own find their way to his shoulder's, squeezing.

"No, it's my fault too," Jongdae says quietly, letting his hands slide down to rest against Sehun's chest now. "I should have thought about how you felt. It was unfair of me to ask that of you."

Sehun hums and nods. Jongdae does have a point.

"I was scared at first too, you know?" They've started to sway back and forth, moving naturally together to a soothing beat. "But then I realized I wanted the world to know how I was dating such an amazing guy."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Jongdae says while Sehun shrugs. It's the truth.

"Do you think we could find a compromise? Relationships... they're all about communication, you know."

That gets his boyfriend to smile. It's such a reassuring thing to see. It lets Sehun know that everything is going to be just fine.

"Well, it's not like we've got a secret to keep anymore. I think that video did us in." They both giggle together.

"You think?" Sehun asks. There was definitely no hiding what they were now. All their 'dirty laundry' was airing out in the open for everyone to see.

"As long as we don't turn into Baekhyun and Chanyeol..."

"Oh god, no!" Sehun exclaims in disgust as he holds Jongdae closer, twisting every which way as he plays up the drama. "I would rather die before we got anywhere close to that." When Sehun looks down at Jongdae (expecting an eye roll or a smack to the chest), the other is looking at him with such love that it makes him stop in his tracks. He manages a quiet 'what' as he stares back.

"You're a dork.. did you know that?" Jongdae finally murmurs after a couple moments.

"Yeah?" Sehun asks, smiling.

"Yeah." Jongdae surges up on his tiptoes to press their lips together.

And that's when the lights go off. Oops. Looks like it's been twenty minutes.

 

           ----

 

The rest of the year goes relatively well. Sehun doesn't go in to try and change his major again so that's a plus. He actually kind of likes it. The 'Michelangelo effect.' He'll never forget it now.

His and Jongdae's video continues to circle through different social media platforms all the through the fall semester and even into spring too. The couple no longer sees it as a burden. In fact, they embrace it. Yeah, that's them kissing. Yeah, they kind of fought because of it, but it's certainly a night they won't ever forget. They spend their weekends at each other's dorm rooms. Sehun goes out clubbing with Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Chanyeol sometimes. Jongdae still doesn't like the thought of sweaty bodies grinding against him; however, he supposes it's alright as long as it's Sehun.

Jongin goes on a couple dates with that Yixing guy. Sehun, as he had promised, actually helped set them up. In no way did he think that would lead to him walking in on them in the weeks to follow, but, hey, good for Jongin, right?

The rest of the school year passes by so smoothly that to Sehun, it feels like summer again. It feels like summer again because things are just so good. No pretending. No hiding. Just existing with Jongdae. Their own little fantasy come true. Nothing could ever describe the way he feels when he gets to hold Jongdae's hand when they're walking side by side. Nothing could ever compare to the way he feels when he gets to lean down and capture Jongdae's lips for everyone to see.

Just like he does now.

Just like he does when Jongdae graduates. When he comes off that stage after the ceremony and into the crowd. Past all the people and straight into his arms.

From the start, there had always been two things that Sehun was sure of.

Volleyball and Kim Jongdae.

And now he could share that with the world.


End file.
